Enantioselective monoreduction of 2-alkyl-1,3-diketones mediated by chiral ruthenium catalysts. dynamic kinetic resolution

The reduction of 2-alkyl-1,3-diketones using (R,R)- or (S,S)-RuCl[N-(tosyl)-1,2-diphenylethylenediamine](p-cymene) in the presence of formic acid and triethylamine affords syn-2-alkyl-3-hydroxy ketones as the major products with high enantioselectivity. [reaction: see text]     

Carbohydrate-based DNA ligands: sugar-oligoamides as a tool to study carbohydrate-nucleic acid interactions

Sugar-oligoamides have been designed and synthesized as structurally simple carbohydrate-based ligands to study carbohydrate-DNA interactions. The general design of the ligands 1-3 has been done as to favor the bound conformation of Distamycin-type gamma-linked covalent dimers which is a hairpin conformation. Indeed, NMR analysis of the sugar-oligoamides in the free state has indicated the presence of a percentage of a hairpin conformation in aqueous solution. The DNA binding activity of compounds 1-3 was confirmed by calf thymus DNA (ct-DNA) NMR titration. Interestingly, the binding of the different sugar-oligoamides seems to be modulated by the sugar configuration. Semiquantitative structural information about the DNA ligand complexes has been derived from NMR data. A competition experiment with Netropsin suggested that the sugar-oligoamide 3 bind to DNA in the minor groove. The NMR titrations of 1-3 with poly(dA-dT) and poly(dG-dC) suggested preferential binding to the ATAT sequence. TR-NOE NMR experiments for the sugar-oligoamide 3-ct-DNA complex both in D(2)O and H(2)O have confirmed the complex formation and given information on the conformation of the ligand in the bound state. The data confirmed that the sugar-oligoamide ligand is a hairpin in the bound state. Even more relevant to our goal, structural information on the conformation around the N-glycosidic linkage has been accessed. Thus, the sugar asymmetric centers pointing to the NH-amide and N-methyl rims of the molecule have been characterized.     

Etude cristallographique des termes n = 4,5, 5 et 6 des séries (La,Ca)nTinO3n+2, (Nd,Ca)nTinO3n+2 et Can(Ti,Nb)nO3n+2

The homologous phases corresponding to the formula A_nB_nO_3n+2 observed in the systems: La₂Ti₂O₇CaTiO₃, Nd₂Ti₂O₇CaTiO₃ and Ca₂Nb₂O₇CaTiO₃, have a structure derived from the structure of perovskite by periodic crystallographic shears, which delimitate n octahedra thick sheets. In the [0 1 0]1 direction, the sheets are following each other with two types of arrangement.Crystals of terms n = 4,5, 5 and 6 were investigated by X-ray diffraction. According to the type of arrangement of the sheets, the phases studied have either an orthorhombic symmetry or a monoclinic symmetry, this last one giving rise to merohedral twins.     

Synthesis of sugar-based ethenyl ethers through a vinyl bis-sulfone methodology

The recently devised route to ethenyl ethers—i.e. 1,2-bis(phenylsulfonyl)ethylene (BPSE)-mediated conversion of alcohols into β-alkoxyvinyl sulfones followed by reductive desulfonylation—has been applied in the carbohydrate field to the synthesis of a number of vinyl-functionalised monosaccharides, a number of which had not been prepared via alternative routes.     

Hybrid Slater–Gaussian-type 1s orbitals for the 1∑ ground state of H2 and He

Introduction of noninteger powers of r (or the elliptical coordinate ξ) in the definition of the 1s AO is shown to give better approximate wave-functions for the ground states of H₂ and He than other functions of comparable complexity. This trend is examined for various definitions of hybrid Slater–Gaussian orbitals using a limited CI . The best optimized single-term expansion energy is only 0.000160 a.u. above the “SCF limit” for H₂ at R = 1.4 a.u. and 0.000382 a.u. for He at R = 1.3 a.u.     

Iron-catalyzed homo-coupling of simple and functionalized arylmagnesium reagents

Iron-catalyzed homo-coupling of simple and functionalized arylmagnesium reagents is described. The reaction is highly chemoselective (CN, COOEt and NO(2) groups are tolerated). The procedure was used to perform intramolecular couplings. This cyclization reaction is the key step of the total synthesis of the N-methylcrinasiadine.     

Palladium-catalyzed benzylic-like nucleophilic substitution of benzofuran-, benzothiophene- and indole-based substrates by dimethyl malonate anion

The palladium-catalyzed benzylic-like nucleophilic substitution of acetates derived from benzofuran, benzothiophene and indole was investigated. The asymmetric substitution on racemic 1-(2-benzofuryl)ethyl acetate gave disappointing results, but the substitution product was obtained in 98% ee from (S)-1-(2-benzofuryl)ethyl acetate with overall retention of configuration.     

Photochemistry of cation radicals in solution : photoinduced oxidation by the phenothiazine cation radical

Irradiation of phenothiazine cation radical, Ph^.+, with 1,1-diphenylethylene, DPE, causes its reduction to Ph and oxidation of DPE. Cyclodimeric products are formed from DPE^.+.     

Half-sandwich and mixed-ring uranium complexes

The monocyclooctatetraene uranium complex [U(COT)(I)₂(THF)₂] (COT=η-C₈H₈; THF=tetrahydrofuran), isolated from the reaction of bis(cyclooctatetraene)uranium with iodine, is a precursor for the synthesis of the alkyl derivatives [U(COT)(CH₂Ph)₂i (HMPA) ₂], [U(COT)(CH₂SiMe₃)₂(HMPA)] (HMPA=hexamethyl phosphorous triamide) and [U(COT)CH₂SiMe₃)₃] [Li(THF)₃] and of the mixed-ring compounds [U(COT)(η-C₅R₅)(I)] (R=H or Me). The last were used to prepare the amide and alkyl complexes [U(COT)(η-C₅H₅)(N{SiMe₃}₂)] and [U(COT)(η-C₅Me₅)(CH₂SiMe₃)].     

Helical self-organization and hierarchical self-assembly of an oligoheterocyclic pyridine-pyridazine strand into extended supramolecular fibers

The synthesis and characterization of an alternating pyridine-pyridazine strand comprising thirteen heterocycles are described. Spontaneous folding into a helical secondary structure is based on a general molecular self-organization process enforced by the conformational information encoded within the primary structure of the molecular strand itself. Conformational control based on heterocyclic "helicity codons" illustrates a strategy for designing folding properties into synthetic oligomers (foldamers). Strong intermolecular interactions of the highly ordered lock-washer subunits of compound 3 results in hierarchical supramolecular self-assembly into protofibrils and fibrils. Compound 3 also forms mechanically stable two-dimensional Langmuir-Blodgett and cast thin films.